This invention relates to a film processing apparatus in which an exposed X-ray film in a cassette is developed by an automatic developing device.
Conventionally, an X-ray film exposed in a hospital is put into a flat case called a cassette, conveyed, and set into a film processing apparatus to be developed. In the film processing apparatus, the exposed film is taken out from the cassette by a film-taking-out-unit and developed by an automatic developing unit.
The automatic developing unit is provided with a developing tank, a fixing tank, a washing tank, and a drying tank. The exposed film taken out from the cassette is conveyed by conveyance rollers, processed in the developing tank, the fixing tank, and the washing tank, and finally dried in the drying tank. After processed in the automatic developing unit, the film is taken out from the unit as a negative film. As for this type of apparatus, the apparatus has been widely known which is characterized in that: the film-taking-out-unit and the automatic developing unit are arranged in the film conveying direction; and when the cassette is inserted into the apparatus from the front side of the apparatus, the developed film is delivered from the rear side of the apparatus. However above-described type of apparatus has this disadvantage, that the operative efficiency is low because the operator of the apparatus must come and go between the front side and the rear side of the apparatus.
The vertical type apparatus has been known in which the film-taking-out-unit is set above the automatic developing unit. This type of apparatus has a high operative efficiency because the apparatus can be operated from one side. However, it is difficult to maintain the automatic developing unit in the case of this type of apparatus.
To be more concrete, the problems are as follows. The developing solution and the fixing solution adhere to the conveyance rollers and the support members of the automatic developing unit which are located between the developing tank and the fixing tank, and between the fixing tank and the washing tank, and the adhered chemicals are crystallized after a while. There is the possibility that the crystallized chemicals scratch the film surface or block the film conveyance in the apparatus. Accordingly, it is common in this type of apparatus; to provide the conveyance rollers assembled in a rack structure to the developing, fixing, washing, and drying tanks, wherein the conveyance rollers can be rapidly attached to and removed from the apparatus; to remove the rollers from the apparatus after film processing in a day has been completed; and to clean the rollers with a brush in order to remove the solution and the crystallized chemicals adhered to the roller surface and support members. However, when the vertical type apparatus is adopted, the automatic developing unit needs to be pulled out towards the operator's side in order to clean the rollers, wherein the developing solution, fixing solution, and water are contained in the tanks of the automatic developing unit. There is a problem that the solution spills out the tank when the automatic developing unit is pulled out, and furthermore the automatic developing unit needs to be held horizontally when the unit is returned to the original position in the apparatus. Pulling out the developing unit for cleaning has a serious problem to operators. In order to operate the automatic developing unit properly, it is very important to hold it horizontally. Conventionally, some careful measures have been taken to solve this problem, for example, screws to adjust the height of the apparatus are provided to the legs of the apparatus so that the apparatus can be held horizontally. It is preferable that the automatic developing unit is not moved as a general rule.